Book Reviews: Books on Bioethics, Medical Ethics, Issues, Dilemmas
What is the nature of life? What sort of value does life have - is it intrinsic, or dependent upon something like intelligence? What sorts of responsibilities do doctors have towards their patients - should they relieve any pain, even if it means killing a person? Bioethics is a field that addresses many of the most fundamental ethical questions facing us - especially in light of the growing importance of biotechnology. Reviewed here are some of the books recently published on bioethics.
A Merciful End: The Euthanasia Movement in Modern America
Euthanasia is an increasingly important issue in American politics. As people grow older, and more face the possibility of living long lives with painful, debilitating, and fatal conditions, the possibility of ending things quickly, painlessly, and with some dignity will become ever more attractive. Only the state of Oregon allows this, however, and there are many in America who object strongly to legalized euthanasia. This issue could eventually eclipse abortion debates.
Euthanasia is an increasingly important issue in American politics. As people grow older, and more face the possibility of living long lives with painful, debilitating, and fatal conditions, the possibility of ending things quickly, painlessly, and with some dignity will become ever more attractive. Only the state of Oregon allows this, however, and there are many in America who object strongly to legalized euthanasia. This issue could eventually eclipse abortion debates.
Doctors from Hell: The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments
Most people are aware that one of the fundamental moral principles for all doctors is to 'do no harm,' a principle which can be traced back to Hippocrates and the very beginnings of the Western medical tradition. Unfortunately, not all doctors heed this precept: the worst and most extreme examples can be found in the history of Nazi Germany...
Most people are aware that one of the fundamental moral principles for all doctors is to 'do no harm,' a principle which can be traced back to Hippocrates and the very beginnings of the Western medical tradition. Unfortunately, not all doctors heed this precept: the worst and most extreme examples can be found in the history of Nazi Germany...
Making Babies: Is There a Right to Have Children?
Reproduction is fundamental to any species - without offspring, a species will die off. It's established in most societies that people have right to reproduce, in that the state cannot interfere and prevent them from having children. Do people, though, have a right to children such that they have a right to medical assistance when they can't have children naturally?
Reproduction is fundamental to any species - without offspring, a species will die off. It's established in most societies that people have right to reproduce, in that the state cannot interfere and prevent them from having children. Do people, though, have a right to children such that they have a right to medical assistance when they can't have children naturally?
Homeopathy: How It Really Works
Homeopathy is one of the most popular of the various alternative medical treatments, bringing in around USD $1.5 billion a year. It's also one of the oldest, having been created by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the mid-19th century. Considering its age and popularity, is there anything at all to the treatments? Do they work?
Homeopathy is one of the most popular of the various alternative medical treatments, bringing in around USD $1.5 billion a year. It's also one of the oldest, having been created by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the mid-19th century. Considering its age and popularity, is there anything at all to the treatments? Do they work?
Raising the Dead: Organ Transplants, Ethics and Society
On the face of it, there seems to be little reason to question the ethics behind transplanting organs. But this really is more appearance than fact because right under the surface lurks a morass of ethical dilemmas and controversies which have threatened to undermine the entire practice of transplanting organs.
On the face of it, there seems to be little reason to question the ethics behind transplanting organs. But this really is more appearance than fact because right under the surface lurks a morass of ethical dilemmas and controversies which have threatened to undermine the entire practice of transplanting organs.
How Brains Think: Evolving Intelligence, Then and Now
What is intelligence and what's it good for? If you prove to be good at choosing one answer to specific types of multiple-choice questions, you're called "smart" and said to have a "high Intelligence Quotient." But according to William H. Calvin, real intelligence is what you bring to play when you stand in front of the refrigerator contemplating the leftovers...
What is intelligence and what's it good for? If you prove to be good at choosing one answer to specific types of multiple-choice questions, you're called "smart" and said to have a "high Intelligence Quotient." But according to William H. Calvin, real intelligence is what you bring to play when you stand in front of the refrigerator contemplating the leftovers...
Euthanasia: The Moral Issues
Euthanasia is a thorny medical and legal dilemma. As the population of the West ages, the debate about it will continue to grow more important and the problem more divisive. Should some form of euthanasia be permitted, or should it be treated as murder? Is it a moral act to aid a suffering person, or is it a selfish and immoral deed?
Euthanasia is a thorny medical and legal dilemma. As the population of the West ages, the debate about it will continue to grow more important and the problem more divisive. Should some form of euthanasia be permitted, or should it be treated as murder? Is it a moral act to aid a suffering person, or is it a selfish and immoral deed?
God and the Embryo: Religious Voices on Stem Cells and Cloning
Biotechnology is advancing at a rapid pace - far faster than most anyone could have realistically predicted even just a few years ago. Our ability to manipulate the human genome is growing almost every day. One of the consequences of this is that we have learned a great deal about human embryos, and if things go as expected, we may be able to make use of them for medical treatments. But should we?
Biotechnology is advancing at a rapid pace - far faster than most anyone could have realistically predicted even just a few years ago. Our ability to manipulate the human genome is growing almost every day. One of the consequences of this is that we have learned a great deal about human embryos, and if things go as expected, we may be able to make use of them for medical treatments. But should we?
Who Owns Life?
Modern biotechnology is creating ethical questions faster than most people can properly consider and learn to understand them, much less develop coherent and reasonable answers. We need time and resources to think about what is at stake and what we should do - much of our future as a species may depend upon how we deal with these ethical issues today and in the coming years.
Modern biotechnology is creating ethical questions faster than most people can properly consider and learn to understand them, much less develop coherent and reasonable answers. We need time and resources to think about what is at stake and what we should do - much of our future as a species may depend upon how we deal with these ethical issues today and in the coming years.
Science, Money, and Politics
Science, Money, and Politics: Scientific research consumes billions of taxpayer dollars each year. Ideally, this money would be allocated based upon which research projects are the most promising and beneficial. Ideally, allocation would be a matter of science, not politics. But is that how things actually are?
Science, Money, and Politics: Scientific research consumes billions of taxpayer dollars each year. Ideally, this money would be allocated based upon which research projects are the most promising and beneficial. Ideally, allocation would be a matter of science, not politics. But is that how things actually are?
Genetic Destinies, by Peter Little
As human scientific knowledge and technological ability progress, the prospects for human control over our genetic code increases. For some, the prospects of genetic manipulation open up dreams of an improved, disease-free future. For others, such manipulation suggests that the social problems of today will only be magnified, producing a genetic nightmare.
As human scientific knowledge and technological ability progress, the prospects for human control over our genetic code increases. For some, the prospects of genetic manipulation open up dreams of an improved, disease-free future. For others, such manipulation suggests that the social problems of today will only be magnified, producing a genetic nightmare.